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Postoperative Problems

Topic Overview

Many people do not feel well after surgery.
Pain, nausea, and a lack of energy may occur even after a minor surgery.
Usually, getting some rest and following the instructions your
surgeon gave you will help postoperative problems
diminish over time.

Different types of surgery require different
home care instructions. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions to
follow after your surgery. This includes learning about your medicines, diet
restrictions, wound care, showering or bathing, and finding out when you can
return to your regular activities. Your surgeon may think that you understand
more than you really do about what you should or should not do when you return
home. If you have any questions about your discharge instructions, be sure to
ask your surgeon.

Your surgeon will want to talk to you if
you:

Have questions about your home care instructions,
such as wound care, diet, or activity level, or when to schedule a follow-up
appointment.

Develop a symptom or problem that you do not know how
to handle.

Develop an unexpected symptom or
problem.

Have problems with your prescription medicines. These
problems may include a rash, hives, nausea, vomiting, or stomach problems.

Are you having any problems with your bowel movements, such as constipation or diarrhea?

Yes

Bowel problems

No

Bowel problems

Are you constipated?

Constipation means your stools are hard and you have trouble passing them. If your stools are soft and pass easily, you are not constipated.

Yes

Constipation

No

Constipation

Have you had a bowel movement in the past 3 days?

Yes

Bowel movement in past 3 days

No

Bowel movement in past 3 days

Do you have diarrhea?

Yes

Diarrhea

No

Diarrhea

Do you have severe diarrhea?

Severe means more than 10 loose, watery stools in a single day (24 hours).

Yes

Severe diarrhea

No

Severe diarrhea

Are you having any new or unexpected symptoms?

Yes

New or unexpected symptoms

No

New or unexpected symptoms

Would you describe these symptoms as serious or minor?

Serious

Serious new or unexpected symptoms

Minor

Minor new or unexpected symptoms

Do you think that a medicine may be causing your symptoms?

Think about whether the symptoms started after you began using a new medicine or a higher dose of a medicine.

Yes

Medicine may be causing symptoms

No

Medicine may be causing symptoms

Pain in adults and older children

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain
is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and
can't do anything else except focus on the pain.

Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your
normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days.
Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's
there.

Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain,
but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

Symptoms of a heart attack may
include:

Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.

Sweating.

Shortness of
breath.

Nausea or vomiting.

Pain, pressure, or a
strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both
shoulders or arms.

Lightheadedness or sudden
weakness.

A fast or irregular heartbeat.

The more of these symptoms you have, the more likely it is that
you're having a heart attack. Chest pain or pressure is the most common
symptom, but some people, especially women, may not notice it as much as other
symptoms. You may not have chest pain at all but instead have shortness of breath, nausea, numbness,
tingling, or a strange feeling in your chest or other areas.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be
able to take care of this problem at home.

Try home treatment to relieve the
symptoms.

Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any
concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect).
You may need care sooner.

Urinary tract infections may occur in
the bladder or kidneys. Symptoms may include:

Pain or burning when you urinate.

A frequent need to
urinate without being able to pass much urine.

Pain in the flank, which is either side of the back just below the
rib cage and above the waist.

Blood in the
urine.

Fever.

If you have pain when you are breathing, you may be at
immediate risk for a pulmonary embolism if you also
have:

Pain deep in one leg for no clear reason. This can
be a sign of a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) that could travel
to the lungs.

A history of problems with blood clots, such as deep
vein thrombosis or a previous pulmonary embolism.

Home Treatment

If you have had surgery:

You will be given some general instructions about what to do after surgery. Your surgeon may also give you some special instructions on how to care for the surgery area. Be sure to follow those instructions carefully.

If the instructions from your surgeon are not clear or do
not cover your particular problem, contact your surgeon.

If your
symptom or problem starts after the office or health facility is closed, call
your surgeon's office and leave a message with the answering service (or follow
instructions given on the answering machine). If you leave a message, be sure
to include your name and phone number so that your surgeon (or the on-call
surgeon) can contact you.

Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Smoking slows healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.

Write down your symptom or problem. It may help you become
more aware of your specific symptom or problem or give you ideas about its
cause. It will also help prepare you to talk to your surgeon about what you are
experiencing.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

A new symptom develops that is different than
what your surgeon told you to expect.

Symptoms become more severe
or frequent.

Prevention

You may be able to prevent problems after
surgery by taking steps beforehand to improve your health.

Do not smoke or use other tobacco products.
Complications involving the lungs are
more likely to occur in people who smoke. Infections are more common in people who use
tobacco products, because of reduced blood flow and from having more
mucus stuck in the airways. For more information, see
the topic
Quitting Smoking.

Maintain a healthy body
weight. Problems with increased abdominal pressure, complications involving the
lungs, and infection occur more often in people who are overweight. For
more information, see the topic
Weight Management.

Practice deep
breathing exercises before surgery.

If possible, be active before
your surgery to increase your fitness level. For more information, see the
topic
Fitness.

Eat a balanced diet. Make an
appointment with a dietitian if you need help with menu planning. For more
information, see the topic
Healthy Eating.

Be sure to follow all of your surgeon's instructions after
surgery to prevent problems. You may be instructed to:

Drink plenty of fluids. This can help prevent
problems such as
dehydration and constipation.

Sit up,
cough, and breathe deeply to expand your lungs and help prevent breathing
problems, such as
pneumonia.

Walk as soon and as often as
your surgeon recommends. Early activity helps prevent complications. Ask your
surgeon how soon you can expect to get out of bed, sit in a chair, and walk.
Walking increases circulation to your legs and helps prevent problems, such as
blood clots. Walking also helps prevent constipation.

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